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Sunday Leader editor Sakunthala Perera said the gunmen
stormed the home of the journalist - who holds dual UK/Sri Lankan nationality -
yesterday in Mount Lavinia on the outskirts of the capital, Colombo.

He is reported to be awaiting surgery and was visited in
hospital today by UK consular staff.

Mr Burt said: 'There has been a range of attacks in Sri
Lanka on journalists, civil society organisations and others in recent years.
To date, too many incidents have had little investigation and no resolution.

'The UK and EU have urged the Government of Sri Lanka
to do everything possible to investigate such incidences and ensure that those
responsible are brought to justice.'

The shooting happened on the outskirts of Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, at Faraz Shauketaly's home

Ms Pillay told Channel 4 News: 'I'm deeply disturbed by
this particular shooting because it's a journalist and he's attached to a
newspaper that's known to be critical of the government - particularly on
accountability and in justice issues - which are issues that I cover.

The incident happened at Faraz Shauketaly's home in Mount Lavinia, Colombo, Sri Lanka

'I will be reporting to the Human Rights Council my
concern over extra judicial killings, abductions and this kind of treatment and
suppression of freedom of expression.'

She said he should be given immediate protection.

'Whoever tried to kill him obviously was targeting him.
It's an act of attempted assassination so he needs to be protected
immediately.'

There needed to be a 'proper investigation before we
can conclude' whether there was any state involvement in the attack, she
said.

'The Sri Lankan government swears by the integrity of
their army and their police, well it's time they demonstrated that.

'These institutions built into the democracy must now
begin to work properly and this is an immediate instance where they can
demonstrate that.'

Police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody said an investigation was underway and declined to comment further.

According to Amnesty International at least 14 Sri Lankan media workers have been killed since the beginning of 2006. The Committee to Protect Journalists says Sri Lanka was the fourth most dangerous country for journalists in 2010.

More than a dozen journalists have fled the country over the last four years, fearing for their safety and seeking refuge abroad.